Whiffletree-hook



(No Model.)

J. H.- BABE. W HIFPLETREE HOOK.-

Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

mmmmmmmmmm lw "UNIT-ED STAT S PATENT C nics.

WHIFFLETREE-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,585, dated December 17, 1889. Application filed'July 16, 1889. Serial No. 317,705 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. RABE, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,

this specification.

My invention relates to an improved device for holding tugs of whiftietrees or singletrees,

&c., and spring-locking them to their hold,

and is an improvement on the trace-holder on which I filed a caveat on August 13, 1888; and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

- Figure I is a perspective detail of the end of a singletree to which my improved holder is attachable, and shows the smooth-headed hitch-pin screw-seated in the end of the singletree; it also shows the journaled latchlocks that retain the tug on the hitch-pin, the journal-bearing ferrule that carries said latchlocks, the springs by which they are actuated,-

and the washer-rings for the retention of the springs on theirseats. Fig. II is ahorizontal section taken on the line II II, Fig. III, and shows the latch-locks, the reactionary springs mounted on the journals of said locks, and said journals seated in their bearings in the ferrule. Fig. III is an end View of the singletree, and shows the hitch-pin inserted in the end'of said singletree and the latch-locks elevated in their-unclosed or open posit-ion, their shoulders being thrown out of their lockingslot. Fig. IV is an end view of the singletree, and shows the tug on the hitch-pin and the spring latch locks dropped down. in their closed position. Fig. V is a side view and shows one of the fingers elevated; it also shows the bevel track out of the locking-slot, which as the shoulder of the latch-lock travels up thereon draws the journal of said lock longitudinally outward, drawing together the spirals of the springs. Fig. V1 is a like view with the tug seated on the hitch-pin and the latch-locks dropped in their closed positions; and Fig. VII is a longitudinal detail section, and'shows the locking-pin screwed into the end of .the singletree, and it shows the double shoulder which re-enforces said pin against breakage and extraction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a singletree to which my trace-holder is at- 'tached.

2 is the hitch-pin, the shank-screw 3 of which is seated in the perforation 4 in the end' of said singletree. The head 5 of said hitch-pin is perfectly smooth, being devoid of the usual cut-away or extension of the shank or neck, (which is commonly of even size with the screw-shank,) for the seating of the tug,

outside of which tug-seat is usually provided the head or hooks which hold 011 the tug. The weak part of the said usual hitch-pins or whifiietree hooks are right where the shanks enter the wood,where they frequently break, especially in frosty weather, when it may be the wheel of the vehicle is passing through a hole or strikes an impediment, or

in an extra heavy draft on a muddy road, where it is not pleasant to alight in the mud and perhaps vainly endeavor to repair damages.

Now, it will be seen that the shoulders 22 to the smooth equiform head of my hitch-pin rest and brace against the end of the singletree, and thus the attachment of the hitchpin is firmly braced and the strength of said pin is very materially re-enforced. It will also be seen that as the head of the hitch-pin on which the tug hitches has not the usual cut-away, but is smooth from end to end, there are no sharp corners like the projecting heads or hooks of the common hitch-pin, by which the hard sharp edges of the metal Wear and tear the soft leather and stitching of the tug.

6 represents the 10ck-ferrule which em- 0 braces the end of the singletree, and the perforate seat for the singletree, in which ferrule is surmounted with a swell 7, in which are located dual perforations 8, in which the shanks 9 of the twin pivotal latch-locks 1O 5 have their bearings. Enlarged extensions of the perforations 8 form spring-chambers 11, in which the spiral reactionary springs 12, mounted on the shanks of said latch-locks, have room to play. The said springs are Ioo held on their seats by the collar-washers 13, which are secured on the inner pin terminals of the locking-latches are seated and held,

when their locking-fingers are dropped to secure the tug on its seat on the hitch-pin, the

spiral springs at the same time drawing on the shoulders of said latches to lock them in their seats and retain the fingers in their pendent locked and locking poitions, as shown in Figs. IV and VI. hand, it is required to unhiteh the tug, to effect the same the locking-fingers of the latch-locks are thrown up, their shoulders at the same time running out on the curvilinear incline track 20, which lifts said shoulders out of their locking-slot, drawing on the spiral springs at the same time. \Vhen unlocked and elevated to the full extent, the said shoulder, having left the incline, is retained in its unlocked position by a friction hold of the edge of the swell portion of the ferrule above the locking-slot. When again rehitching after the tug is attached, which is very readily done, I

as it has but to be passed over the smooth head of the pin with no appreciable obstruction, then a slight tap of the fingers on the latch-fingers starts them on the incline 20 and the springs quickly draw them on said track within the locking-slot into their locked position therein.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a trace-holder, the combination of the locking-ferrule, the hitch-pin, and the latchlock with pivoted twin angle-fingers 17, that latch down outside the tug on each side of and past the pin, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trace-holder, the combination of the hitch-pin having a smooth head and shoulders with an unbroken line from the point back to the shoulders, the said shoulders fitting against the end of the singletree, the lockingferrule 6, and the latch-lock 10, with pivoted twin angle-fingers 17, that latch down outside the tug on each side of and past the pin, substantially as described,.and for the purpose vset forth. \Vhen, on the other 3. In a trace-holder, the combination of the smooth-headed hitch-pin of equal diameter, from the singletree in which it is seated to the taper of the point, the lock-ferrule 6, provided with a surmounting swell 7, a lockingslot 19, a curvilinear incline track 20, and located in said surmounting swell, the provision of the dualperforations 8 and enlarged springehambers 11, also the pivotal latch-locks 10,

described, and for the purpose set forth.

J OIIN II. RARE. In presence of BENJN. A. KNIGHT, SAML. KNIGHT. 

